Conveying apparatus.



T. S. MILLER. l

CONVEYING APPARATUS. A

APILIUATIOH rrLnnnnc. 28, 1906.

901,021 Patented 001.13, 1908.

3 BHBETB-BHBBT 2.

T. S.y MILLER. couvmme APPARATUS.

PPYVIJTIO FILED DBLU, 1906. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

3 Q w lq g p sv y UNITEDBTATES PATENT OFFICE, THOMAS SPENCER MiLnLnn, orsourit oaANGnN'nw Jensen i 'CONVEYING APPARATUS;

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Sinin onu Mu.- Lnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of South Orange, county of Essen, and State ofNew Jersey, have invented a new and useful .Improvement in ConveyimY Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object-ot'. this invention is to improve that class otlcableways inl which the fall-rope carrier (one or more) containsmechanism for its ownpropulsion, examples of which class are shown inUnited States .Letters'l-)atent No. 4180029 dated August 2,

1892; No. 5418973 dated October 29, 1895; No. 561973 dated June 17,1896; No. 636768 dated June 14, 1899 and in my application Serial No.312915 filed Apri-l 21, 1906. But this invention may also be usefullyapplied vwherever it is desirable to obtain the interdependent travelVoi a plurality of VehiclesI running in line uponan elevated cable ortrackway.

In t-he accompanying drawings, I have shown the `invention as applied toa series of vehicles only one of which constitutes a load carriage; theothers being tall-rope-carriers; but the saine principle might beapplied without the all.-ro} )e where the carriers carry the tractionrope or wherever each of i the vehicles is a loadearriage.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s an edge View ot a rope-carriercontaining my invention,

same. Figs. 3, el. and are details. Fig. 6

'is a oableway vhaving'rope-carriers applied containing my invention. 1l 1` is the supportingx cable. y

2 the traction-rope shown as substantially endless and as driven by theropedrum 3 around which it is wrapped.

`i is the hoisting or fall-rope driven by the rope-drinn In the systemshown in Fig;y

6, the tail of the fall-rope is shown. as fast to the tail support ortower of the cableway. 6 is the load-carriage and 7 the tall-block whichmay be of any suitable form.

8 is the usual tail tower sheave and 9, 10, '11, the usual head towersheaves.

In Fig. 6, the less than half speed fall-A rope-carriers are designatedas A; the half s eed as B and the morethan half speed as (di The carriershown in Figs. 1 and 2Vis approximately threequarter speed. The

carriers may obviously be multiplied to any ext-ent required by thelength 'of span. Each projection 22 movably: mounted upon `Vthe Fig. 2is a side `view of the.

:Patented oit; Y1,3, reos:

carrier contains the side plates ortframefl 1B, and vthefall-ropesupporting she-ave running on the cable, ya.,tractionwheel-.71.17 so interposed between I thecablewl and-t c, i tion rope 2and a guide .wheel 18 beneathjhe traction rope. The axle38ofthe-tractionWl wheel plays in a vertical'slotl.. yIta had, i, Y

speed carrier is desired, the periphery 0f, the

traction wheel bearing on tl'iecable;isrmadej,` of the same diameter asthat bea-ring on theT traction ro'peg' iiless thanhalf speed isid'egwsired, the periphery bearing. on thecable made of less diameter thanthat bearing- `on the traction rope; if more thanhalf speed,` I isdesiredthe periphery bearing on` the cable` ismade 4of greater diameterthan that bear-y ing on the traction-rope, as shown. in Figs.` V

1 and 2. I have shown thetwo peripheries 75 as parts of the unitarymember but this not essential and as an equivalent cor'istrfue;` tionthe two peripheries may be separate and geared together; the `relativediameter` of the gears determining the speed in lien, l of the diametersof` the bearingperipheris themselves.

Each fall-rope carrier .is providedfwithfa iz. trame projecting toward`the kload-carriag, W

and the movement of each of `these pro'je tions operates mechanism 4`onits f 'arri whereby the tract-ion pressurev against tra tion wheel 17,17a is relieved. The orm'andv location of theV projectionand ofthis'mech-ff 90 anism may be varied without departing fro l myinvention, but I have shown thelpforni`t which I prefer at. the presenttime andwhich I will now describe. y

The member 422 `consists Qta slide Ven l ing longitudinally at about thelevelj'of t cable 'and held in a guideway23' seeuret the outside ofeither side, plate 12 or 13 arm 24 having a slotted connection with 2 2ris pivoted to the traine at 25 andcai Y a. pin 26 operating in a slot27 in the arm"- fixed on the end of the 'shaft 29 having its' bearingsin theside frames 12 and 13v and" carrying midway between them a pressenfinger 30 acting upon the top ofr ayole con-f4 105 sisting of a crosspiece 31 and the einem-j bers consistin of ,channel bars' and "33;`arranged to slide vertically on the'outsideof; the frames 12-and `13. tA y f,

34 is a spring having an ,abutmeiit35"onV 110 the frame andacting,iipwai'diipn thegyokez member 31 in opposition Vto the 'fingerThe.ryf.ike..memberY 31 has' suitable 236 in theside frames 12 and 13consisti-n of i-slots1 through' which '=it' projects. The ub "18. of`the Wheel 18 is revolubly mounted -on AIasllaft 37 fixed in the sidemembers .32 landV 4mounted on a shaft 38 passing* through bear- -ingblocks 39-and 40 which slide and bear uponI the yokemembers 32 and 33slots 21 heingcutanv said yoke members for .sa'ge ofthe axle 38.v

The periphery '17 of the 'traction anges 42 and 43 which are of morethan mumstrength such as will not injure the ordinary depth,-as shown,"and of proper vwidth yto admit between 'them the' wheel 18 which. isangeless and preferably'ofa width eflual to or sli htly,`les s thanthediameter o .the rope 2. y constructing the periphery 17'l of softmaterial, 'such' as cast iron,.mild steel or bronze, the rope 2 willwear an im- 'print' in such periphery-which will produce eiicienttractiony engagement, and as such imprint is deepened by wear the wheel18 which 1s of'comparatively hard material, will follow iup the ropebetween the anges '42' and 43 and ultimately into the trench Vworn btherope in the peripher ofthe wheel itsel 44 is a wheel inV axiaalinement with .the

wheel 14 adapted to carry a supplemental rope 45, vsuch as a dump-rope,if desired.v

4.6, 47, are set screws adapted to adjust the bearings Yof the wheels'15 and 16 vertically on the frame.-

, The pressure 'productive of traction en gagement is produced' by thespring34,wh1ch l 1s selected wlth reference'to having itsmaxiropes. Thisspringtends to Ashove the yoke 31,32, 33, and the shaft 37 carrying thewheel 18, upward on the frame 12, 13, causing the ro ment'with t ewheel17, 17, and also presssaid traction wheel'17, 17* upward. so as togive'it in turn traction engagement with `the cable 1. It `will thus beseen that the motor spring34 for the traction lengagement vexerts itspressure i-n line with the centers of thelwheels- 18 and 17, 17 and thatits connections with said wheels-are'such that its 'eifective pressureis the same no matter yin 'which-*.way the` carrier -is runnin The modeof operationby which the roljec'tion or buer 22 causes the release o thethe buii'er- 22 on one rope-carrier collides '.--either with anadjoining ropefcarrier or withthe load-carriage, itis forced backwardand Vthrusts backward the, arms 24' and 28 so as'xto .depress the nger'and thus depress `the yoke in antagonism. tothe sprlng 34 and lower thewheels 18 and 17, 17'L out of traction engagement. As the rope 2 wearsits way into the periphery 17'` ofthe traction wheel and thewheel 18follows it up, 'the normal position of the buifer 22 will be more thepasj wheel is provided with the.

2 to have traction engageadvanced; advancing, for example, from theIrearward full line position, shown in Fig. 2,- to the forward dottedposition shown there- 1n. The position of the buffer 22 in its slidewhen the-carrier is in operation will, therefore, serve as an indicatorfor the operator to indlcate the extent to which the wheel periphery 17is worn and the necessity, 4if` ,any, of taking 'up ,'such wear by theadjustmentof the set screws 46 and 47. The p resser wheel 18 -and the'coperatin'g,pe' rlphery 17 vofthe traction wheel being pref- -.erab lyin the same plane they clamp the drivlng rope A2 withoutproducing anydestructive .bend therein; the rope running betweenthem in asubstantially straightl line. The rope 2 beingdrive'n by the engine actsas the driver turning the traction-wheel, which wheel acts in turn asthe driver for the rope carrier.. The carrier is thus driven by thedriver rope 2 in thesame direction as that rbpe but, at less speed and,therefore,

. follows in -the. wake of the load-carriage but at less speed; thespeed depending upon the relative length of the radii at which thetraction wheel contacts, respectively,'-with the cable 1 and driver rope2.

` The bearings of the presser wheel 18 and traction wheel 17, l17Il arebothv mounted in slides. That is to say,4 the bearings of the presserwheelare in the yoke slides 32, 33, and the bearin ofthe traction wheel17 17 are in the s ides 39, 40. And the direction of these slides and ofthe spring pressure are allin 'substantially the same line. The presserwheel, the driving rope 2Iand the traction wheel are suspended on thespring through the instrumentality of the 'yoke' acting as a hanger.

Having thus described my invention, I claimas new and-desire to securebyv Letters Patent,

1. In combination, a cable or trackway, a traction rope, a vehicle fixedto said tractionrope, a second vehicle -forming a traction engagementwith said traction-rope by) the following instrumentalities, viz: alflanged Wheel and a wheel adapted to follow the traction rope into thegroove worn by said. rope in Vsaid flanged wheel.

,2. 4In combination, a cable 4or trackway,a traction-rope, a vehicleixed to said tractionrope, a second vehicle forming a tractionentraction engagement is as follows: When ,gal

gement 4 with said traction-ropel b'y the owing. instrumentalities, viz:a fianged wheel and a presser Wheel of a gage not substantially widerthan the diameter Aof .said

3. In combination, a' cable or trackway, a traction-rope, a vehiclefixed to said-tractionrope, a second vehicle forming a traction enowinginstrumentalities, viz two Wheels between which the traction roperuns, ayoke agement with said traction-rope by the ol wheels .is mounted andaspring inter osed between an abutmenton the'frame an said yoke above thecable.

4. In combination, a cable or trackway, a

traction-rope, a vehicle fixed to said'traction rope, a second vehicleforming a traction engagementwith said traction-rope, means actuatingsaid traction engagement and means breaking lever actuated by saidbuffer and 'a vertical slide whereby the4 traction engagement iscontrolled. f

5. In combination, a cable or trckway, a

traction-rope, a vehicle fixed to said tractionrope, a second vehicleforming a traction engagement with said traction-rope, means actuatingsaid traction, engagement andV means breaking said traction engagementconsisting ofthefollow-ing parts', viz: a buffer, an arm said buffer anda ver-V andlever actuated b tical slidewhereby t e traction engagement Vis controlled.

`ings of' said wheels are carried.-

6. 'In a cableway-rope-carrier, in combination, a' traction wheel, apresserwheel, means for applyln pressure to the presser wheel,

means for re ievingl such pressure, and slides substautallv in alinementwhereby the bear- 7. In a cableway rope-carrier, in lcombination, avtraction wheel, a presser wheel, slides substantially 1n alinementwhereby the bearings of sa1d wheels are carried, and a spring located ina vertical plane between said slidesl and acting insubstantial-alinement with the slides lwhereby pressure is' exertedbetween said wheels. A I

8. In a' cableway rope-carrier, a traction j wheel, a pressure wheel, ayoke in which said wheelsare mounted, and a spring tensioning the yoke.

' 9. lIn a cablewa'y ropefcarrieniin combina' tion, a'traction wheel, apresser wheel, 'a

frame, a yoke slidably carried 'by lsaid frame and adapte d to carry theaioresaid wheels,

and tension mechanism for the yoke.

10. In a cableway rope-carrier, in combination,;a frame, a sliding yokecarried by the frame, a traction wheel, 'anda presser wheel carried bythe yoke, and a spring wherebyv the pressure is exerted, the action ofsaidA spring bein 'substantially ina plane ofthe axes of sai wheels.

11. In a cableway rope-carrier, in' combination, a traction wheel, .apresser wheel,

gnideways i whereby the bearings of said said traction engagementconsist- -in-g of Vtliefollowing parts, viz: the buffer, a

wheels-reciprocatejin a plane substantially coincident with the plane ofthe'axes of said wheels, land a ,tension device for producing thepressure. y ,v

12. In a 'cablewayropecarrier,in combil nation, two wheelsV whereby itis suspended on the cable, a spring between the same, a suspender from'said' spring and a traction wheeland presser wheel suspended therebybelow'the cable. 4 V

13. In a.cableway, in.' combination, the cable, a moving rope,.atract-ion wheel and a presser wheel beneath thev same and a. spring'whereonysaid wheels andmovingrope are supported.V

14. In a' cablewayrope-.carrier,' in combination', a flanged tractionwheel, a angeless presser wheel and a spring producing pres-l surebetween the two.

15. In `a cableway-rope-carrier, in combination, a fianged tractionwheela ilangeless resser wheel, a spring .produc 'pressure tween the twol andmechanism wherebysaid spring' is compressed to relieve s aid pressure. 0I

16. In a cableway-rope-carner, in combl-y 4nation, n 'traction wheel,l apresser wheel,

guidewuys for thebearingsof said wheels approximately at right. angleswith Vthe cable and a spring ltendiu wheel bearings tow-ur the cable andmechanism whereby said spring is depressed to ,relieve said pressure.

j 17. In'aI cableway-ro -carrier, in combination, the frame, the w eelsupport therefor on the cable, apresser wheel, a traction wheel pressedby said presser wheel inward saidwheel support, a., presser spring,l a''buffer whereby said presser springl is compressed and an adjustment ofsaid wheel support to take u wear of said' traction wheel.

18. 4- a cableway-ro carrier, in-'coxnbif nation, the frame, thew eel'slportgtherefor i on the cable, a traction wheel ow thecable a 'slid-eon said .frame extending-above and below the cable, a presser wheelmountedvon said slide below'the cable and -a presser `spring acting onsaid slide above the cable. .y fIn testimony whereof, IV have hereuntosigned my name in 'the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

to 4press said priasswer.Y

g THOMAS SPENCER MILLER Witnsesz GABRIEL A. Pnncnns, H. G. BAnmNo'roN.

